Well I was cruising along and my engine just shut off. Called my good buddy Anders and he told me what I already thought but didn't know how to fix it. The Fuel cut-off solenoid is the culprit but I didn't know that the actual solenoid had failed.
I pulled it out on the side of I-5 and a spring and metal plunger fell out. I put it back in and voila. BUT now I have to use the trans with my brakes to shut the engine off. Where do i get the best deal on a new one?

clean it and put it back together?
Don't have the manual stop lever?
You could also put a ball valve in the frame to filter line pretty easy.
My friend had a Cummins you had to choke to death by squeezing the supply hose, it was pretty visceral.

Are you sure it's not the wiring? that has a lot more problems than the actual solenoid.

v8volvo

09-02-2015 08:25 AM

I've only ever seen one or two dead solenoids, one in a Volvo and one in a TDI I think... but they are visually the same in all VE pumps I've ever seen, you could likely use one from any old VW, TDI through 2003, etc. Definitely don't need to get one from Volvo. A 5.9 one probably works too, you could call a fuel injection shop (e.g. Seattle Injector) and they'd be able to tell you for sure.

If you want to get one quickly, you could bum one off a wrecking yard VW, or I have a dozen of them laying around that you'd be welcome to swing by and pick up...

As 745 said, this could also be a wiring issue -- with the plunger removed from the solenoid, the engine will run all the time regardless of whether the solenoid is energized or not, but the original reason it quit could have been because the solenoid lost 12V, not because it failed itself. If you still have the spring and plunger you took out, you could try reassembling the existing solenoid and testing it with a jumper (should hear it click when you apply/remove 12V from the terminal). Especially since this is a converted gasser and the wiring path is not 100% original, I'd be more inclined to start by searching for a wiring issue (possibly even just a blown fuse on whatever circuit you guys tapped for the pump power) than suspecting the a solenoid failure, which is relatively rare although it does happen.

chad1966

09-02-2015 09:03 AM

I used a jumper wire directly from the battery while I was on the side of I-5 and it still didn't start but by that time the battery was getting taxed and since yeah this is a gas converted car iMy glow plugs are now manually switched with a toggle so it also may of needed some glow plug help which I didn't use because the battery was dying.
So when 12v is applied what actually happens other than hearing a click. Something physical has to happen to shut the fuel off.

745 TurboGreasel

09-02-2015 12:05 PM

the click is the plunger compressing the spring and seating against the solenoid body. that opens the fuel passage, and is all that happens.

chad1966

09-03-2015 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by v8volvo
(Post 10281)

If you want to get one quickly, you could bum one off a wrecking yard VW, or I have a dozen of them laying around that you'd be welcome to swing by and pick up....

I sent you a text message. Thanks George.

chad1966

09-23-2015 10:03 PM

Ok so an update on what has happened since I last posted. This has happened 2 more times for a total 3 times since getting this car on the road. Here are the facts/details that I know. I am baffled, so any help is appreciated. Thanks.

1. The current car is a 1984 245 2.1 turbo/automatic car that we converted to D24T.
2. We left the in tank pump and eliminated the inline pump.
3. The car will run out of fuel when the gauge shows just above the orange on the gauge.
4. I have to bleed a lot of air out after it dies, the way I do this is turn the ignition to the ON position and use the in tank pump to supply the fuel and loosen the 10mm screw on the top of the fuel filter housing.
5. I have filled it each time this has happened and each time it has only taken 10-11 gallons of fuel.
6. The fuel cutoff solenoid is GOOD and works as it should.
7. I have not changed my current fuel filter for a few months.
8. We used the factory gas supply and return fuel lines.